On New Year's Eve, most good people are striving to give gifts to orphans. The intention is good, but the execution is not always right. Now I'll try to explain my idea. The first thing that beginner volunteers do is buy candies, sweets, toys and go to boarding school. Of course - this is a wonderful occasion to give children a holiday, but this action has one negative side: for children these gifts have no value. No value at all!

Yes, I know very well what I'm talking about. Our adopted children take all new things, gadgets, toys, etc. for granted. Those are the things that sponsors bring. A new smartphone crashed – it’s not a problem, they will offer a new one, etc.

But this doesn’t mean that such children do not need gifts. Here I would like to explain you a very different matter. Today the boarding system becomes an anachronism. The program of family organization of orphans is actively developing. Foster families (FP) and family-type children's homes (DDST) are an excellent alternative to a state-run home for orphans.

In such families, former orphans, including children with disabilities, are growing up along with biological children of their adoptive parents. They develop well and actively socialize. Home furnishings an individual approach to education, study groups and clubs, and most importantly the warm family environment creates real miracles. It was precisely such goals that the "Happy Child" Foundation pursued, launching the Children's Village project.

Today, 32 children live permanently in the children's village (which is five family-type orphanages). Among them 16 children with disabilities. And also 8 students come here on weekends. Thus, the total number of children is 40 people! The age of the young inhabitants of the village for former orphans ranges from 5 to 25 years. The oldest "child" Sasha is 25. But unfortunately his intellectual development corresponds to a 4-6 years old baby. But Sasha is a very important part of the whole village. His zeal and hard work can envy everyone!

Every day adoptive parents solve dozens of different tasks. Because life with a lot of children is a complete improvisation. You can perfectly plan your day, and then someone will fall, and instead of a family trip to the forest, parents take the victim to the hospital. Unexpectedly out of action car also makes its own severe adjustments. There are a lot of such examples.

However, at the same time every adult resident of the Children's Village is happy in his place. Don’t take it wrong, the project participants are the most ordinary people who get tired, conflict between each other, get angry, etc. Everyone from time to time starts going crazy, but at the end some rest, a good sleep and amazing beauty of nature surrounding the village help to restore parent resources.

Since on New Year's Eve it’s we all try to sum up achievements and make wishes, we will do it on behalf of the Children's Village project, so that it will "come to life" a little bit for readers.

5 bright events of the past year

1. There are more residents in the village! This year two new families were opened at once. And this means 8 former orphans (4 of them with disabilities) found loving parents and a cozy house.

2. The construction of two "Happy Homes" (Happy home 5 in Lyubimovka and the second floor of Happy Home 3 in Ukrainka) has been completed.

3. Approximately 100 new trees were planted.

4. There were new tailed inhabitants.

5. The construction of the grandiose "Lighthouse of Dreams" began.

5 New Year's wishes

1. Let the children's village continue to grow: new houses appear, in which there will be quality reliable furniture and equipment.

2. Let the new children appear in the houses, which will harmoniously fit into families, despite the individual characteristics of each child.

3. Let the land around the houses become a beautiful recreational area.

4. Let the village be sprinkled with new friends, volunteers, teachers, bright creative people.

5. Let all the inhabitants of the children's village learn to understand, accept, hear each other, because life in the community is a great way to develop humanity, tolerance and love for one's neighbour.

What to give to the project on the eve of the holiday

On the eve of the holiday, everyone is exacerbated by the sense of celebration and the need to give presents to children. Here are several actual ideas for the Children's Village project gifts.

• Large flat TV (very necessary for the residents of Happy Home 4);

• Computers, laptops, tablets (at least 2-3 in each house will be highly necessary);

• The trampoline will give joy to children with a disability living in the Happy Home 2;

• Spacious wardrobes and dressers will help make Happy Home 3 truly cozy;

• Interesting children's books, large wall maps (World Map, Map of Ukraine, Zaporizhzhya region, map of the starry sky will be relevant for children living in all five houses;

• Table games are always relevant for everyone.

More information about the project can be read on our webpage deti.zp.ua/eng/show_title.php?keyword=eco. Children's village is a developing project that needs human and financial assistance.

Have any questions and suggestions, call us at: +380665133435 Albert Pavlov or +380685340995 Yulia Kleha